Racism on the Road: An Interview with Alex

May 31, 2016 / By NomadicMatt

This month’s interview comes from Alex, a 29-year-old black guy from Northern California. When he approached me earlier this year to do an interview and told his story and the barriers – racial and non-racial – he faced before and on the road, I knew he had to be featured here. As a white Western guy, my experience is vastly different than most others. I don’t face many of the prejudices others might and, while this site is called “Nomadic Matt,” I view it as a resource for all travelers – and the only way to do that is to bring in added voices like Alex. So, today, without further ado, here is Alex:

Nomadic Matt: Hi Alex! Welcome! Tell everyone about yourself.Alex: I am a 29 year old from Northern California. I grew up in a city in the San Francisco Bay Area called Alameda. After finishing college in Arizona, I moved back to the Bay Area and worked in SF before quitting my job to travel the world. I know the decision shocked my mom and many of my friends, but I know it was a necessary experience for me to embrace at this time in my life.

What inspired your trip? The short answer is that I wanted to see the world. The more nuanced answer is that I wanted to see it through my own lens. With the wonders of the world wide web, we are inundated with information and imagery of people and places from around the world. I needed to see what the world was like through my eyes, through my own conversations with people in such places, and through my personal experience of growth and change in traveling to these places.

After reading so many backpacking blogs, I got inspired and knew I needed to do this. My original intention was to travel for six months but 11 months later, I’m still going!

How are you funding this trip? I worked in finance for five years. I had been saving for travel since I started working. Once I made the decision to do this trip, I started making the appropriate sacrifices to increase my travel fund (like skipping smaller trips with friends and cutting out expensive dinners and large bar tabs).

After reading different travel blogs and your book How to Travel the World on $50 a Day, I was able to save $25,000 USD for a year of travel. To make that happen, I began automatically depositing money from my paycheck every two weeks. I reduced my spending on the non-essentials, for example eating out less, canceling services I rarely used and skipping smaller vacations. As time came closer to leave, I made money selling furniture and other items from my apartment. Also the last bonus check from work helped a bit as well. In all, it took a little over a year to save up enough money for this trip.

I had friends telling me they could never afford to do what I am doing but would spend $400/month on organized cycling classes and $500/weekend on drinks. Saving the money needed for a trip like this wasn’t easy and required many sacrifices. However, I knew traveling was the ultimate goal and this was a part of the process to accomplish that goal.

Do you have any specific advice for people saving for their trip? My advice and something that helped greatly was to look at a breakdown of my spending over a 3 month period. Your bank or credit card company usually provides this information free or you can do it yourself. Identify what is consuming the largest portion of your income and figure out ways you can reduce it.

Why don’t you think more minorities travel? You said in your original email that your friends and family said you were being “too white” by doing this. The “you’re acting white” comment is one I’ve heard all my life. When I showed an interest in my education and a career in finance, I was acting “white.” When I went against the norm by quitting my job to travel I was acting “white.” Honestly, it’s all quite confusing and makes trying to be yourself that much more difficult. In regards to traveling abroad, perhaps people view it as representing a certain amount of privilege that is not generally associated with minorities. But again, this is about priorities and if traveling is a priority you can find a way to do it without being a member of the upper-class elite.

I think another reason why minorities don’t travel as much is a lack of exposure. Without close friends and family who have or do travel, how might someone know that this is something to do? Or that it is even worth doing?

Now, I don’t mean to suggest that minorities do not travel at all. That’s certainly not the case as I traveled quite frequently as a child with my family. However, I’d label this type of traveling as vacationing – and it was always to familiar places. Where I see a lack of minority travelers is to those unfamiliar places like Southeast Asia. In my opinion, Southeast Asia is a perfect place for people of any color and any budget. Yet I mostly see white travelers here – why is that?

Many minorities my age in the U.S. come from families where their parents and grandparents did not have an opportunity to go explore the world. Instead, they were likely fighting for their civil rights and equality (which was a more pressing priority). Many were also recent immigrants to the U.S. and focused on creating a new life in an unfamiliar country. So I think, due to a lack of exposure in minority communities, this idea of traveling the world isn’t as prevalent. The idea of traveling abroad became associated with white people and privilege. Although, at times it doesn’t seem like it, the opportunity for minorities to travel and explore is now much greater. We should take advantage of the sacrifices made by the generations before us.

How do you think that opinion can change? Do you think it ever will? I think the opinion will change with time and an effort to educate minority youth about traveling and its accessibility. It is encouraging to see organizations and individuals trying to help push this effort along. With the emergence of social media, everyone can now share their travel experiences with a wider group of individuals. Maybe an Instagram picture of the beautiful beaches in Thailand inspires a young person of color to work towards one day visiting, no matter the hurdles in their way. I know for myself it has opened my eyes and mind to hundreds of places I want to visit.

Have you faced any racism while traveling? How do you deal with it? I thought I would encounter racism on a greater level traveling through Europe and Asia than what I’ve experienced at home. But in my 9 months of traveling to big cities, small cities, urban and rural areas I can not think of one time I’ve experienced any deliberate racism. There were a couple of incidents of ignorance but not what I would consider racism.

I do have one interesting story I’ll share from when I was in this small town on the border of Montenegro. Based on the looks of curiosity I received, I’m fairly certain I was the first black person to travel through this town in a long time. As I made my way to the bus stop, I had a brief encounter with what I would guess were late-teenaged boys. As I was standing at the crosswalk they slowly drove by with their rap music turned up and yelled out the window “What’s up my nigga?” accompanied by a peace sign gesture. Having heard the word “nigger” shouted from a car before, my guard went up immediately. But then I saw the look on the young boys’ faces. They were smiling as if they had an encountered someone famous. At that moment I realized they must have assumed this was an appropriate way of greeting a black male. I simply laughed while shaking my head. These kids were repeating what they were being fed through music and movies as being cool, likely not knowing the origin or meaning of the word they used. I only wish I could have used this as an opportunity to teach them the reality of that word and its connotations, but this was not a hate crime.

If anyone was treating me differently for being black, I was oblivious to it. At times I feel like I’m more likely to be treated differently for being American versus anything else. I’ve come to learn that most travelers are extremely open-minded and interested in learning about the places they travel as well the people they meet along the way. You would be surprised how many other travelers express their curiosity and concerns with me about the lack of minority travelers.

What advice do you have for other minority travelers worried about racism/prejudice when they travel? Racism is ubiquitous. If you are going to put yourself in a setting of “others” you will experience “othering” – this is what humans have done for our entire existence. But I think one important piece of advice is that you can’t confuse racism and ignorance. It is likely you will travel to places which are incredibly homogeneous so meeting or seeing a minority like yourself may be a first for them. Take this as an opportunity to teach someone about you and your culture. A smile and quick chat can go a long way in learning about our differences but even more so our similarities as humans. If you do find yourself in a situation where you feel that you’re being treated differently due to the color of your skin, I’d suggest politely walking away. Don’t allow racism or discrimination to “win” by provoking a negative reaction from you and possibly ruining your adventure. The world is full of amazing and accepting people and I have faith that if you get out there on the road you’ll find them!

What was the moment you were like “Wow! I’m really doing this! This trip is real life!”? Those moments happen so frequently. From the first train ride in Europe, staring out the window as I traveled from Stockholm to Copenhagen, envisioning the journey ahead of me, all the way to sitting on top of a pagoda in Myanmar watching as the sun rose, casting light onto an amazing moment. This trip has been the best experience of my life so far and I make sure to reflect on and be grateful for all the amazing moments often.

OK, let’s switch gears and talk about the practical side of travel. How do you make your money last on the road? What are some of your best tips? My most important tip to the backpacker crowd is to control your spending on alcohol because those beers add up fast. Ask around where the best happy hour and drink specials are located. If you are with a large group, try to negotiate your own deal on drinks. Better yet, go buy alcohol from the store, grab a speaker to play music and drink outside somewhere. Those tend to be some of the best and cheapest nights out!

If you could give three pieces of advice to a new traveler, what would it be? I’m one of those people who enjoys planning and researching before heading out to somewhere new. However, don’t over-plan your trip. Leave a little room for spontaneity. You’ll definitely meet some cool people or that special someone and want to continue traveling with them. That’s hard to do if you have your entire trip pre-booked. Put down your phone, smile and say hello to someone new. I promise that interaction will be more interesting than whatever you’re reading on Facebook. Find an activity to participate in that helps you overcome a fear. The open water scares me and in order to face that fear head on I went scuba diving. Also, pick an activity that challenges you mentally and physically. I climbed up the 5000+ steps to the top of Adams Peak in Sri Lanka. It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my trip. Lastly, find a way to give back while you’re traveling. Volunteering, donating and responsible tourism are some of the ways to help support the local communities you are traveling through and impacting.

####

Editor’s Note: This interview is not some end-all discussion on racism and travel. It’s one guy’s perspective. Since this is a topic I’m often asked about, I wanted to share Alex’s story and perspective on the matter. I know this can be a passionate subject, but please keep all comments civil and respectful.

Related Posts

That’s fascinating! Tbh, I haven’t spent much time thinking about this. I’m trying to remember the last time I saw a minority American travelling… I mean, I did see a Hispanic or two… but I’m pretty sure they came from money in California. Party girl, and all that. Hmm.

As a woman and a minority who has traveled the world for nearly 20 years: Thank you for posting this article. It didn’t hit me until reading this piece just how upper class and white travel has been, as I’ve generally noticed the gender differences (especially now that I tend to travel more in business class).

Then again, I remember taking inner city Pacific Islander kids in LA to the Getty to look at art, and then to the beach to explore tidepools. These things were maybe 5 miles from home, but they had never ventured outside of their immediate communities in their lives.

What I’ve learned is that travel doesn’t have to be to another continent to see the world from a different lens. It’s a mindset of curiosity that we need to foster in kids (and adults) who don’t realize what treasures they have in their backyards.

After traveling around the world I’ve definitely gained a new appreciation for the travel opportunities we have here in the United States. Totally agree that we should encourage more traveling with in our own cities and states. That traveling would hopefully lead to a curiosity for exploring all parts of the world as well!

Love this post! Especially about the difference of racism and ignorance and the fact how you may be able to address both with a few words and letting people have a glimpse of your world. To me realizing that ultimately there is more that unites us as people is one of my favorite parts of traveling!

As a black girl from Southern California who also happens to be named Alex, I had to read this story! I’ve been to 10 countries, mostly in Europe and my experiences relate to Alex. When I taught in Eastern Europe, I was also called “nigger” by a kid who thought it was cool. When the look of shock and anger appeared on my face, he realized it wasn’t and apologized. To be honest, I experienced more racism when I went to college in the Midwest.

I am so happy that you did this article, Matt. I admit it’s one of the things I’ve always wondered coming here, is this guy completely oblivious to the experience of minority travelers. Also, one thing I’ve often thought about with FLYTE is that I hope you will incorporate some minority travelers in your meetups with these kids. They need to see other minorities who travel. It’s great that some random white guy (no offense) gives them money for their trip, but they really need to see and meet people like Alex, to believe that they can do it to (and if you need volunteers, I’m game).

One last thought. As a minority who has also been accused of “acting white” all of her life, I believe that Alex’s around the world trip is perceived as acting white because of the sort of “hippie” nature of traveling around the world. Indeed, one of my black friends made fun of me for traveling and said I was a hippie. I know a lot of black people who travel to the Bahamas, etc, but something about a long-term trip gives off this “flower child” vibe and they picture you not showering and sleeping in open fields, which they associate with white hippie culture. When I’ve told my friends and family about the less-developed countries and sketchy hostels I stayed in Eastern Europe, they assume I must’ve been living a sort of “grunge” lifestyle, which again, they associate with being white.

Kudos to Alex for being another minority that bucks all the stereotypes and follows his dreams 🙂

From one Alex to another thank you! I’m hoping once I’m settled in back home I’ll be able to find some organizations similar to Matt’s to go talk with and help out. Traveling has been such a blessing and I hope I can inspire others to get out there to take the plunge.

Haha and yeah the “grunge” look wasn’t for me. I can’t let my bread grow long enough without having to shave it.

As a minority backpacker myself, I enjoyed reading this. I agree with all of the points Alex made, especially when he said that you will always encounter ‘othering’ when you travel to foreign countries. This isn’t personal, you stand out and that makes others curious.

Another thing which hit home, was the mention of the fact that backpacking really is something that most people are introduced to by others. If no one in your social circle has tried the vagabonding lifestyle, it’s not that easy to know that it exists. Awesome article!

Oh dear loving God! Speaking of ignorant Americans… The entire idea of racism seems to be instilled in any American belonging to a minority – until any person leaves the United States and becomes an ordinary American all of a sudden.

When I was 18, I was talking about black people and called them “niggers.” My American aunt said, “What do you mean by that?” And I said, laughing, “Black people, of course.” She turned away from me, saying I was being extremely rude. But I had had no idea. Being Dutch, I was only still learning English, and took the word “nigger” to be the equivalent of Hispanic, Indian, white, Aboriginal, etc. So those kids in Montenegro were most likely just being unaware. Not everyone in Europe speaks English that well, and what people know mostly comes from movies.

The idea of racism toward black Americans ceases to exist at the American border. It’s a national way of thinking within the boundaries of the United States. This article assumes that this whole racism thing travels along with the black or Hispanic or Indian American traveller as he goes abroad. Matt, you should have known better than to write a story on Alex not experiencing racism abroad and still have a black guy feature in an article about racism. Alex should have been featured as an American traveller who has done a great job bringing his budget together to pursue his greatest dream and going for it.

If you haven’t lived as a minority in the US, you would not understand what it is like to be marginalized here. It’s not as simple as calling someone the n-word.

Instead of calling us ignorant, perhaps it would be wiser to educate yourself on how minorities have been (and still are) treated in America. Among other things, you would be surprised at how subtle the term “lighter and whiter is better” is followed in many countries, not just the US.

Or perhaps take a look at your own country. Are you ethnic Dutch? How about Dutch citizens who are not of Dutch ancestry and are second and third generation? I have seen just as much racism (better stated as xenophobia) in Europe towards immigrants and their children.

Hey Mara, thank you for your response. I have experienced tensions between races in the United States when I rode the Greyhound on my trip across the Americas, and I’m not downplaying anything within your national boundaries. It’s very real and it exists. Yet I’m referring to the title of this article: “Racism on the road” while Alex can only recall one “incident” with smiling kids in Montenegro.

Many Europeans feel culturally threatened as it is traditionally a Christian continent now dealing with an increase with Muslims. That racist problem is very real here, too, and needs dealing with urgently.

Thank you for your respectful response to Mara. I have traveled to Europe and the Caribbean mostly. As an American, Black woman. believe me when I tell you that racism against Blacks most definitely exists in Europe and doubtless to some extent, everywhere that Western media touches. Yes indeed there is also ignorance and lack of knowledge that does not quite equate to racism. However, there is a psychic cost to being the person constantly educating others that is tiresome too. I am not always wanting to be that educator, hence my preference sometimes to travel to the Caribbean, where I don’t have that problem! Thanks Jeroen for being open-minded and willing to learn.

Jeroen- in America or outside of I’m definitely not ordinary! But that might be that American overconfidence I heard so much about while traveling.

In all seriousness I see where you’re coming from and for the most part black American racism does end once you leave America. However, racism towards blacks and many other people of color doesn’t end at those borders. As you mentioned , like the US, Europe is currently going through its own racial tensions and hopefully those walls can be knocked down.

Also language barriers certainly exist and it is nice to know people like yourself, who are aware of the appropriate ways to address someone of color, can teach your Dutch friends (or others) that are unaware.

This is a great article. I am from Los Angeles and have been traveling over 3 years now and I am of color. I am Mexican/Palauan/Japanese/English so I do have some interesting features. Living in LA most people think I’m Mexican but leaving the US sometimes no one knows what I am. Going through Europe, they thought I was South American. But when I started traveling in India, Nepal, and Sout East Asia, people though I was locla. Sometimes other Backpackers didn’t know I could speak English until they hear my American accent. So it’s really interesting to travel with such a different perspective than most “white” travelers. I love it!

Alex’s comment about the “n” word being used so casually is probably not uncommon. I run orientations for high school exchange students here in the US, and recently I learned from recent returnees that that word is used commonly by teenagers in some other countries just like any other English slang-word that has spread abroad, but they just don’t have the ugly history that makes it taboo like it is in the US. Now, as part of the orientations when we talk about US teenage culture, we mention to the exchange students that the “n” word is not acceptable, even just among their peers.

As travelers coming from Eastern Europe we could only agree. Before meeting the American culture we haven’t really realized that the n-word is not appropriate, in our country teenagers mostly use it as a synonim for black people. But with that said, we think it’s so important to learn about cultures especially if you visit a country you are not familiar with so that you can avoid being rude unintentionally.

Wonderful article. I’m a black female who travels solo and am always curious, and sometimes a bit apprehensive, as to the reception I’ll receive in various places. At first, my antenna was up for the smallest perceived slight, but quickly realized that I was bringing my own angst from living in the US. I found that people were more intrigued about my solo female status than my color, as well as the fact that I am Jamaican. It’s eye-opening to see how approachable and friendly people generally are all over the world, even in places I thought I might have a hard time. Travel is such a great teacher, and a great equalizer. It makes it easier to see how much we all have in common. TV and the internet do a very good job of over-emphasizing our differences, or “othering.”

Great article, thank you. As an asian who loves to travel, my parents have accused me of ‘becoming white’ as they associate travel as a luxury. Coming from a culture where the mentality is ‘study/work/get married/have kids/take care of your siblings and parents’ and with a lot of emphasis on what people will think of you. I think to want and to travel becomes very challenging as it is associated with ‘forgetting your roots’ or ‘becoming white’. This means the challenge actually comes too from your own culture/upbringing. I hope that this perception will change in the future and that travel will indeed be an equalizer as some have already mentioned.

I enjoyed this article because I am always curious about the experiences of other travelers. What made it even better was hearing the perspective of a black male traveler from the U.S. because there aren’t that many of us out on the road and traveling budget/backpacker style. I have been to more than 30 countries myself and I never had any major safety concerns strictly because I am an African American . Maybe a few instances did exist because I am a woman who usually travels alone. But in general, I travel with a deep respect for other cultures and a desire to learn more and I think that translates well in any language or cultural setting. That is not to say I haven’t been targeted for the high pressured sale or inflated prices endured by many tourists, I believe these things would’ve happened to any outsider who is perceived to have some money. But surely not just because I was black. I hope that as I share my rambler experiences with my friends and family they will feel more comfortable with going places they have never been before and meeting people from all over the world. Travel is an experience I appreciate and I know it has helped me to recognize ad understand a lot of things about myself and this home country of mine. For me, racism outside of the U.S. has been mostly non-existent, and while that may not be the experience of all minority travelers, it still gives me hope that we can all enjoy the healing trip of travel.

I loved this article!!! In the past couple of years, I have been inspired by people like Matt to save my money and travel the world. As a black woman, facing racism on long-term travel has been a fear that I have kept in the back of my mind. This article has been incredibly encouraging. Thank you, Alex, for sharing your perspective!

I was catching a cab home from the airport once and talking the cabby about my travels. He told me that the idea of solo travel was just so far outside his culture, it just didn’t really exist for me. I’d not really thought about travel being a white privilege thing before that. Obviously, it does take money but it’s so much more involved than that.

Great article and way to shine a light on this conversation so eloquently. We are traveling in Southeast Asia right now and have been talking about this topic in depth the last two days. Thanks for sharing your perspective Alex!

Always hated the idea of “white washed” people. Whenever a black person tries to become educated and speak eloquently that’s what they’re called or they’re told they’re “becoming white.” Asians have a huge knack for education–and they’re not white.

As a white person the “n” word also confuses me. It’s okay for people to use it in rap songs and to each other on the street but it’s also extremely offensive to most. I personally have never used it when speaking to someone but please make up your minds!

I wanted to reply to your issue with the “N” word. I am a black woman and I have NEVER in my life used it.

That being said, not all black people have the same stance on it. It always seems like people want black people to have a united front about it: “Either everyone gets to use it or no one at all,” but it definitely is an in-group issue that, I’m sorry, you don’t have to understand. We don’t have to make up our minds about it as a collective group and it doesn’t need to be explained to people who aren’t black. It’s complex and nuanced. And if you want a simple answer and it’s that confusing, then just don’t use it.

But expecting all black people to have the same stance on it is exactly part of the problem with racism that we’re trying to fight. WE JUST WANT TO BE SEEN AS INDIVIDUALS. That’s it. We can’t be expected to always be the ambassadors or the explainers of everything. We are varied in our opinions, thoughts, and experiences. So, no, we don’t have to “all” make up our minds so that you can understand how to use it (and as a white person, I don’t understand why you would need or want to use it anyway).

I don’t want to use that word. Never have, never want to. How can one group of people see it as derogatory is evil and the next think it’s fine? All white people don’t use the word “cracker.” All Asian people don’t use the word “yellow face.” All Native Americans don’t use the word “red skins” (although some racist people use it against them to this day).

But again, that’s expecting other groups of color to act identically in the same situation — and we’re all different.

The best way I can explain the N-word is like this: a lot of the black people who choose to use the word want to take the power away from it and change its meaning. So they use it as slang, as endearment. Because of the history of the word and the way it was used (with black people using it with each other as well), it’s just very messy. It also used to and still has multiple meanings (in-group and out-group). Back in the day, sometimes it was used to degrade and other times it was used just as meaning “black person.” Sometimes black people themselves used it to refer to someone else. It’s also used as an in-group thing as an insult sometimes, but it’s not nearly as degrading as when a white person uses it.

But again, just like some people see some issues as “evil” and others see it as “fine,” (for example: abortion), that’s what happens when you have complexity and diversity. My issue isn’t so much with your stance on the word (like I said, I don’t use it), but with expecting a diverse group of people to have ONE collective opinion about it. Just because other groups of color don’t have the same response about negatively-charged words doesn’t mean there should be one answer for what a “derogatory” term means to the black community.

When black people use the N word it ends in ‘a’ and therefore is actually a different word. Probably seems like semantics to most but it’s enough of a difference to make it acceptable slang in the black community.

“Why is it that the black community can’t seem to work together like other races?”

Well, one major difference for black people is their history. In the US, most of what unites black people is skin color and the experience of being discriminated against in the US. Now, not all black Americans are African-American or are coming from a slavery background, but you have to understand that for many or most, our history, roots, and traditions were taken from us. And if we tried to establish those things, we were likely separated from our families, killed, whatever in the past.

The reason I bring that up is because unlike other groups in the US, we don’t have the same links to our heritage. We don’t have that same link to being Irish, or Vietnamese, or Brazilian. We aren’t anchored in those same things. So, what bonds us together? The color of our skin and the way we are treated because of that.

To be honest, there’s an understanding that comes with it that other people who don’t have that bond don’t get, but it also means you don’t necessarily have that much in common except a mutuality on discrimination. It doesn’t necessarily mean you share the same customs, values, thoughts, beliefs, or interests. And it’s not to say that people from the same cultural groups are identical in these aspects, but there are more commonalities shared between those groups than within the black community.

So when you say: why is it so hard for black people to work together? For those reasons exactly. We tend to have less in common with each other than other cultural groups because of our history.

And to be honest, I still feel like your wording is treating us as an aggregate, but the dominant group (white people, in this instance) still get the privilege as being seen as individuals. No one really asks why the “white community” doesn’t work together (racist implications aside). Besides the assumption being that white people are “inherently” peaceful and cooperative (which is not the case, any more so than any other group), the white community, outside of skin color and power in this country, doesn’t really exist. It’s diverse, too. While there are some shared experiences, their breadth of differences are just as diverse as black people’s. There’s the rural white community, and middle-class white, and educated white, and urban white. There’s religious white and non-religious white. So on and so forth. And no one is asking: “Why don’t all the white people have the same opinion or viewpoint on things like abortion, gay marriage, prison, education, etc?” Or even back to the original topic: not all white people even have the same viewpoint on the N-word. So, why should black people be expected to all have the same perspective? Or work together as one mind when we’re as individual as the next person?

Perhaps the black community is fragmented, but we also find ourselves as members of other communities, too. We are likelier to find more agreement within those communities that reflect our values and thoughts than those that just deal with the color of our skin, which really, only tells you about how we’re treated, but not about WHO we are.

That’s why we have such problems with those things, Nicole, because we’re divided on the issues. Abortion, some people think it’s okay to do in some situations while others thinks it’s bad. Gay marriage, for centuries the majority of people thought it was bad so it wasn’t allowed. Now some people think it’s okay and there are some people that still think it’s bad. Prison, some people think it’s okay to have people locked up for life while others don’t. Education, some people think it should be completely free, others don’t. Just like with the “n” word those people are divided, and until a majority of one opinion is formed there will be problems with it.

Honestly, that’s what the Europeans knew when they were invading Africa back in the day. By the black community keeping themselves divided they are basically letting the past (and some present) white oppressors “win” in a sense, even in as something small as the “n” word (it goes much deeper than that into culture, language skills, whether or not someone is “white washed” etc.).

Well said. I’m Jewish and I find that people, both here and overseas, expect that we all feel the same way about everything. We are not a monolithic group, either, and want to be treated as individuals, as you said.

Great article! My 19 year old daughter and I went to India and Nepal this past Dec/Jan. My daughter is biracial and she wears her hair in a big ole natural afro. EVERYWHERE we went in India and Nepal, she was the constant center of attention. Now – she has a presence as big as her hair – but it was her hair that was causing a stir. A couple of the cheekier kids even tried to touch it on the sly. While the constant attention was sometimes overwhelming for her, Lily did a great job of being friendly and gracious to everyone who wanted to speak with her. She knew it was a matter of curiosity rather than prejudice. It was wonderful.

Matt, Thanks for your inspiration to bringing stories of Alex and others to social media. I’m very fortunate to know Alex through his college years and financial career via my eldest son as well as Alex’s travel blog. I look forward to seeing Alex this September in Tubac for my son’s wedding.

Thanks to both you and Alex, what a wonderful topic and so well handled. I agree with Mara, I have met many minorities that don’t even explore their own backyard. It can be really perplexing to be the only black person at an event when travel is open to everyone. I was also excited to read that Alex was aware enough to understand the difference between an insult and an attempt to relate. Kudos!

P.S. It is great to see you going through your “transition” to Domestic Matt- keep up the good work 🙂

Wow, what an inspiration!! I absolutely love this article. I can’t imagine what it’s like to travel with family and friends back home saying you are “acting white” because you fulfilled your dream of traveling!

Just like Alex, I thought I would be treated differently in Europe and Asia (in Asia being an Asian American who cannot speak my “native” language). I found that people are just curious and assume things about me that may not be true. For example, I had someone in Indonesia say that I was “a fake American” once I told him I was of Taiwanese Heritage. He didn’t mean it in a bad way, he just didn’t know. It was quite funny though considering I consider myself more American than Taiwanese a lot of times!

If you want to meet people from all over the world and experience different cultures and genders, one place to start without spending a penny is the virtual world of Second Life – you can be whoever you want to be too – and I’ve friends in Venezuala, the USA, Europe and Australia as a result.

Another way of travelling on the cheap is to take holiday and make side trips when you’re on business abroad – I once persuaded my boss to let me accept an invitation to give a talk in Newfoundland if he’d give me the time off – knowing I had lots of frequent flyer miles – and added visits to Boston, Cape Cod, and Nova Scoatia to whale watch on the Bay of Fundy!

Thank you Matt and Alex for sharing Alex’s experiences. I really enjoyed reading the article and seeing Alex’s travel pictures.

As a non white American, I had people in different countries think I’m lying when they find out I am American. I had to pull out my passport a few times to prove I was American. An Israeli told a Turkish guy, there is no way I was American! One guy in Prague looked at my German friend Anna and said you’re American. She said no, but she points to me and says she is American. The guy said nothing to us after that so we continued walking.

I agree with some previous posts. You see many white tourists traveling in Asia. It seems Asians can often be found as tourists in certain European cities.

I’m travelling since 29th November last year. I have hitchhiked throughout New Zealand and even Tasmania (Australia), was using bus and train on the Mainland of Australia, I’m “car sharing” as a passenger for the moment in Canada and I am always surprised, when I see people of color on the road, because they are so few. I’m happy, if I can get a chat with them. Though this article, Matt, was great. Thanks, Alex, for being so open. Btw I learned earlier, when I traveled Europe, that there are countries, which do not have people of color. Not easy for kids and teenagers how to interact with people of color.

Excellent article Matt! Thank you very much for featuring Alex and his experiences in traveling abroad. As an African American male who has always had the desire to travel extensively, I could relate to all of Alex’s feelings, particularly related to others viewing him as “being white” or privileged. This was a well written and balanced perspective. I especially appreciated reading how Alex made this trip a reality by setting priorities and making appropriate securities. It made me realize that I could accomplish the same goal if I set my mind to it in all earnestness. Thanks again and please convey my appreciation to Alex directly. Other minorities need to be exposed to stories such as his.

Thanks so much for sharing this. Travelling in the Australasian region, I’ve seen increasing numbers of Asian and Indian travellers, but still rarely black people. Travelling is an amazing gift and it’s wonderful to make people realise they shouldn’t let their background or lack of their cohorts doing it, stop them from travelling.

This is such a great article. It saddens me that a lot of minorities don’t travel & if they do, they go to places that are popular & don’t ever outside of their comfort zone. And don’t get me started on solo travel, which I absolutely love. It’s something that not enough Americans do in general & it would make us a lot more open-minded, friendly, informed, & a lot less narcissistic.

I can relate to so much in this article, as I’m a black female. I wholeheartedly agree that SE Asia is one of the most amazing areas in the world to travel to. I keep going back! The people there are the most genuine & welcoming.

Please keep more articles like this coming from minority travelers. We need more stories like this to promote this type of travel.

A great article and a young man who clearly has his stuff together and has figured out what is important in life. I love the fact that he planned ahead, saved up the money by cutting out what was non-essential in his monthly spending, and is so in tune with the areas he is visiting. More young people would benefit from this kind of travel. This is one of your best articles, Matt.

As a black woman, l appreciate this blog post and enjoy hearing about other experiences apart from my own. I had traveled solo for over 20 years, only there was no documenting it in those days. I was born in Africa so my views on traveling differs. Growing up, everyone wanted to travel, mostly for a better life and not to discover themselves like it seems to be these days. I did it because l wanted to and saved to do it on my 3-4 week vacation days to faraway places. Now, l travel with my husband and blog about it. There are quite a few minority bloggers out there doing their thing, maybe not so many backpackers. A simple google search should confirm that things are seriously changing. Great post!

Great Article Matt. This is something that I witnessed but never really thought about. Growing up in a white suburb bordering Boston, as you know firsthand, there weren’t many minorities, so I’m used to being the only brown kid in the room, to the point it’s my normal environment. As I traveled most of Europe I would take note of a city’s ethnic diversity, or lack thereof, but it never really dawned on me that all my fellow American travelers that I encountered at hostels were all white. In fact, even other South American travelers (from Argentina, Colombia, or my home country of Brazil) that I met would be considered white. I’m happy to report that I’ve never experienced any racism traveling. I recently visited Russia where I went entire days without seeing any dark skinned folk, but received nothing but smiles and felt very welcomed. I expect as time goes on, more minorities will travel via backpacking and hostels will have more color.

Love it. Have been wanting to write about this on our own travel site — that we have noticed a lack of diversity throughout our travels. And I’m glad that Alex discussed the differences between ignorance and racism. Important stuff. His saving tips will also be super helpful to those who want to travel. Ah, the booze. Always the kicker! Thank you for having this discussion and sharing it with all of us. Rock on, Alex and Matt!

Wow! Just the kind of article I’ve been looking for. I’ve been reading so many blogs on traveling, tips, and experiences, but continually having the feeling of . . . but there’s not any talk about racism. So although I love reading all these experiences, I can’t help but wonder if my experience would be insanely different because I’m Latina. If you haven’t experienced racism, it may not even occur to one to even think if it’s happening or not. I’ve experienced it just a few blocks from my home when entering a fancy health food store in which most of the customers are white. So of course, I wonder if it might happen on the other side of the world, if I’ve experienced it within walking distance! Thank you so much for featuring this post, and to the commenters sharing their experiences as well. I feel like nothing is holding me back now, to take this adventure.

I’m Eurasian but I was brought up by my white (of Irish descent) mother in a predominantly white culture in the UK. It wasn’t until I went backpacking in Asia when I was 21 that I realised that I wasn’t just white but a meeting of 2 ethnicities. It sounds daft but it really didn’t hit home until locals would talk to me in local tongue but point at my blonde white uni friends from a distance. I loved that I could be taken for Mongolian, Thai, Filipino etc and embrace the half-Chinese side of myself for the first time.

I’ve worked out my stock response to the question, where are you from? I’ll say I’m English – when they do a double take or study my eye shape intensely or ask, really? I say, English by culture, Irish and Chinese by blood. And if I’m feeling friendly/cheeky I’ll add, it’s great, i can drink and tan! And then move the conversation on.

My experiences have been that in England, no one really questions that I’m English (we’re such a melting pot, especially around London) but being in other countries or speaking to other nationalities they’ll want to know about my ethnicity. But the answer is 3-fold, I am tied to my culture as much as I am to my blood.

Why do so many people, especially all you travelers, focus on the words “white, black, indian, asian, minority, privileged, or under-served, blah, blah, blah?” I grew up outside the American racism bubble and can talk openly with non-american folks about their heritage, skin-color, favorite foods, dance, etc without worrying about offending someone, because the intent was never there and this is obvious in the conversation. There is surely nothing wrong with knowing who you are knowing where you came from as this is what most of us are in search of; alternative cultures and views. As travelers (those who explore by CHOICE) we should applaud all people and their experiences in this world. Without racism, the world wouldn’t be where it is now; a great place no matter the past. And without racism a lot of great, strong people would never have been recognized, because they wouldn’t have strength in themselves without the mirage of failure. In the end, the only way to move forward to is to let the past be the past and make our own future. Never sympathize a person’s plight. Empathize with that person as another human and both walk away better or stronger together.

As an Asian and who has spent 9 years in the US, I can tell you there is huge discrimination issue deep in the root in the US, and in Americans’ mind. I have never experienced any racial discrimination issue from home until I lived in the US. Racial discrimination exists in the US. Not only against the blacks, but also against Asians, Latinos and other races. Basically if you don’t look like a white, and speak like an American with an American accent then you are automatically being shoved aside and treated differently. With that being said, I also found America being one of the most open-minded and welcoming countries to people coming from all countries and of all colors. This is such a mixed and contradictory feeling. I have traveled extensively around Europe and Asia. From my experience, people think the African Americans are cool, and physically powerful people. People diffentiate African and African Americans. Tbh, I did too. I always associate the African blacks with poverty and diseases (not in a discriminitive way but more from a neutral and factual point of view based on what we see on tv and documentary in Asia). When we see African Americans, we assoicate them with cool music, very good at running, playing basket ball and American football, and unfortunately also gun crimes and drugs. We can’t generalize people. If you are black, you can’t be simply identify as a black. You can be a black from South Africa, Congo, the US, Germany, etc. There are always good people and bad people in every race. It really depends on where you come from and what kind of family and environment you were being brought up. As a minority myself, I was accused by African Americans for acting in privileged and sometimes under threat in some random occasions like when I did not let some random African American merge into my lane in a situation when the person who want to merge was driving like so rude and like a maniac for example. But those things can happen to anyone. When I did that I had no intention of discriminating anyone. Race was simply not in my mind. I think nowadays people are so conscious about the race issue and they get so sensitive when people talk about it and immediately flag people as being a racist. Even though racial discrimination exists in the US, I think most of the time it is your bad behaviors that bring trouble to you, not your race.

Great article Matt and Alex. I am so grateful that I had an Aunt how loved to travel and would bring me little trinkets from around the world. I though to my self I am going to be just like her when I grow up. I was born in the Caribbean and raised in Toronto. Being raised in an ethnically diverse city was fantastic. I had European and Asian and African neighbors growing up, Was eating sushi before it was cool! My self and my sister started traveling as soon as we were old enough to head out on our own. I never really “backpacked” it, but I have slept in a train station in Switzerland lol. I recently got back from Istanbul and Malta and hope to continue to travel the world as long as I can.

Hi Alex, Thanks for your interview. It\’s not always easy to travel, specially in Asia for a Black Man or woman. I used also to consider those misbehavior as ignorance, but there is also racism. However, this can\’t be the reason of why you shouldn\’t travel. There is some of the warmest and welcoming people in these countries and a minority of those so called ignorant can forbid you to discover to real side, face, or benefit of traveling.~

Great article! I am also an African American that wants to travel the world. I am planning my first trip outside of the U.S. pretty soon! Honestly I was a little concerned about racism/prejudice when I first started reading travel blogs, travel tips, etc. But now I am not going to worry about that anymore!

I travelled around quite a bit with my other half. He’s Irish and I’m originally from Sri Lanka. I had a very mixed experience. Travelling around Asia i felt like my partner was absolutely adored whereas i was largely ignored. That’s because he has pale skin and red hair/beard so it’s very unusual in those parts. I didn’t really mind that at all. What i did mind was the disrespect i was shown because most people didn’t understand why a white man would choose a dark girl. In fact, there were several instances where people would ask him in front of my face whether he wouldn’t prefer a Thai girl/ Burmese girl /Vietnamese girl instead (obviously depending on the country we were in). Mind you….He tells me people have asked him that in Ireland as well but obviously not in front of my face. I do often wonder if the experience might have been better if i had travelled on my own.

This is literally the story of my life! Everything is too “white” and being I am of African American decent I have always been forced to think inside of a box and live a life that society (in a way) dictates, aka the “norm. This was a great read… He had some really good advice that I definitely will put to use.. thanks!

As a black male from Venezuela (please read about its situation), it has not been that easy to ignore the xenophobia and racism. But it’s not something to stop you. If I can travel with this conditions (13 months and counting) I think everyone, and I mean really everyone can do it. The hardest part is customs. I always get singled out when I enter a country, but so far I haven’t had any real issue with it.